


I'll Always Protect You

by Cadi14



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Danvers sister love, F/F, SuperCorp, angsty, supergirl reveal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-07
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2020-08-11 12:11:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20153383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cadi14/pseuds/Cadi14
Summary: After her falling out with Supergirl, Lena Luthor fears she is truly on her own this time.





	1. Chapter 1

“Miss Luthor, here are the files you requested for your eleven o’clock,” said Jess as she obediently presented the stack of folders to her boss. 

Lena mumbled a ‘thank you’ as she set them to the side of her rather disheveled desk. Though the secretary didn’t know what had happened, it was clear her boss had changed recently. Lena wasn’t as cheerful anymore, wasn’t as talkative or as kind. She worked long hours alone in her office, and she took less appointments than usual and attended less meetings. Jess had also noticed Miss Danvers wasn’t stopping by as much any more, and she feared that wasn’t a coincidence.

After her assistant had retreated back to her desk, Lena took a moment to massage her temples. She’d been having habitual headaches recently, most likely due to lack of sleep, but she wouldn’t let herself yield. She was going to push through. She didn’t need Supergirl. She didn’t need anyone; she was a Luthor, for god’s sake. She was raised to handle life on her own, and that’s exactly what she was going to do. 

She briefly glanced at one of the files Jess had brought her. A man named Adrian Warner was her next appointment. The last thing she wanted to do was make pleasantries with a stranger, but he’d scheduled the appointment months in advance. Jess had spoken with him, and apparently he was from a charity seeking sponsorship from L-Corp. Those were always the hardest ones to turn away. At precisely eleven o’clock, a stocky man in a tailored suit stepped into her office, and Lena put on her best fake smile as she stood to meet him.

“Mr. Warner, Lena Luthor, pleasure to meet you.” He returned her handshake firmly, and he had a polite smile with bright hazel eyes.

“Oh, I know who you are, ma’am,” he answered. He didn’t move to sit down and instead remained standing in front of her desk. “The only daughter of the Luthor family, and the valiant defender of its legacy. Your reputation proceeds you.” Lena felt her smile falter at the comment.

“I’m sure you meant that to be a compliment, but I’d rather not discuss my family history, if it’s all the same to you,” she answered a bit flatly. Her patience ran thin as ice these days, and she didn’t bother trying to hide it anymore. He held up his hands apologetically and continued to smile at her.

“Of course, of course,” Warner said. “I didn’t come all this way to talk about the past, anyway. I came to talk about the future. Do you know why I’m here, Miss Luthor?” 

Lena continued to stand and face him, her desk a barrier between them. Something about the man’s presence made her feel uneasy, but she forced herself to remain professional. She was probably just being paranoid.

“I assume you have a cause you’d like L-Corp. to support,” she answered. He laughed, and it was a hollow sound.

“That’s one way to put it, I suppose,” he said. “I do have a cause, a very noble and important cause. I want to make the world a better, safer, more secure place for everyone, and you’re going to help me do that.” 

Lena’s eyes snapped to her desk as her phone vibrated against the surface, Kara Danvers smiling face appearing on the screen. She and Kara had hardly spoken since her fight with Supergirl. She couldn’t help but feel this was the opportunity she needed. She slid her hand across her desk as if to reach for her phone before firmly pressing the concealed panic button.

“That won’t be necessary, Miss Luthor,” Warned said calmly. “I’m not actually here for you. I’m here for your friend Supergirl.” The words felt like knives in Lena’s chest.

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Warner, but Supergirl and I aren’t on the greatest of terms at the moment. I doubt she’d come if I called for her.” The thought had occurred to her in the time since their fight, but admitting it out loud brought on a fresh wave of pain. She was on her own. There would be no caped wonder to save her this time.

“Oh, she’ll come,” said Warner as he pulled a gun from his coat. As Lena looked down the barrel, she knew her security team wasn’t going to make it in time. This was it. She was really going to die. She closed her eyes and forced herself to exhale as the bang of the gun pierced her ears. 

When there wasn’t any immediate pain, she eased her eyes open and gasped to see Supergirl writhing in front of her. She hadn’t heard the glass behind her breaking over the sound of the gun, but Supergirl had taken the bullet for her.

“I told you she’d come,” laughed Warner, and Lena realized something was terribly wrong. Supergirl was bleeding through the S on her chest, and her blue eyes were wide with panic as she tried to cough.

“Supergirl!” Lena cried as she knelt over her. The rosy pink was fading from her cheeks as she desperately clawed at her suit. “It’s ok, Supergirl, it’s ok, I’ve got you.”

“K-Kry-Kr-,” Supergirl tried to speak, but she was having too much difficulty breathing. Lena’s security burst into the room and took Warner down, though the man made no effort to flee.

“It’s over!” he shouted as they drug him away. “I’ve killed Supergirl!”

“No, no, no, stay with me,” Lena instructed. “Supergirl, you have to hold on.”

“Kara!” Lena looked up to see Agent Danvers running into the room. “Kara, oh god, Kara,” Alex hit her knees next to the superhero and immediately began cutting the suit away from the bullet wound. Lena sat back, and her stomach turned.

“Did you say Kara?” 

Her voice was barely above a whisper as she blinked and looked down at the blonde woman in front of her. It was like she was seeing her for the first time, and the world shifted beneath her.

“A-Alex,” the Girl of Steel wheezed as she coughed up blood. “Kry-ptonite.”

“Hey, it’s ok, it’s ok, I’ve got you, I’m here now,” Alex assured her. “I’m going to get it out of you, ok? I promise, just hold on, ok? Hold on for me.”

“Kara,” Lena murmured, and Supergirl turned to her.

“Le-na, so-so-rry,” Kara tried to say, but she couldn’t fully inhale. Lena took her cold hand and held it to her chest as she pushed the messy blonde curls away from her eyes.

“Shhh, don’t speak, darling, it’s ok.” Hot tears were rolling down Lena’s cheeks, but she forced herself to keep looking at Kara. “You’re going to be all right, Alex is going to-,” 

She made the mistake of glancing at what Alex was doing and she felt faint. Alex had made a large incision across the bullet wound, and she was forcing it apart with her fingers, the knife held between her teeth. Kara groaned in pain, and her eyes lost focus. Lena immediately began calling out to her, begging her to stay awake, as Alex began digging for the bullet.

“Please don’t die, Kara, please,” Lena had dissolved into sobs as Kara’s eyelids began to flutter closed. “Please, Kara, I need you. I need you, and I need Supergirl, please don’t leave me. You promised you would never leave me!”

“I got it!” Alex exclaimed as she pulled the bright green bullet from Kara’s chest and tossed it to one of the agents on standby. She gathered her little sister into her arms and carried her towards the door. “We have to get her to the DEO.”

Lena dutifully followed Alex all the way through the building and into the back of a black Humvee. A siren was engaged and they raced across town as Alex continued to cradle Kara to her chest, murmuring encouragement in her ear. Lena felt like time was moving in slow motion. They got Kara on a gurney, and Lena rushed to keep up as they maneuvered their way to the DEO med-bay. Winn and J’onn were there, and they helped lift Kara onto one of the beds beneath a yellow sun-lamp. When Alex began to cut away the supersuit, they excused themselves, but Lena couldn’t make herself move. She stood frozen in the doorway of the room, watching.

Alex methodically removed the red boots and tossed them to the side before cutting away the suit piece by piece. She took the cape and draped it over Kara so that she was covered but the majority of her skin was still exposed to the yellow light. The gash in her chest had stopped bleeding, but it still looked awful. Once she was settled, Alex leaned over and kissed her on the forehead before turning to Lena.

“There’s some paperwork I’m going to need you to sign,” she said. “Non-disclosure forms, things like that.”

“Of course,” Lena answered, surprised by how normal her voice sounded. “Can I stay?” 

She motioned to the chair next to Kara’s bed, and Alex nodded. As Lena moved to take a seat, Alex reached out a tentative hand to her.

“She wanted to tell you,” she said, softly. “From practically the day you met, she wanted you to know the truth, but I wouldn’t let her. Part of my job as a DEO agent— as her sister is to protect her secret identity, but it was a mistake to make her keep it from you. I’m to blame. Not Kara.” Alex’s eyes were growing red as her voice thickened with each word. Lena felt a fresh set of tears slip down her cheeks as she nodded.

“Is she going to be all right?” she asked. Alex looked passed her, and she tried to smile but couldn’t quite manage it.

“God, I hope so.”

* * * *

Lena tried to focus on the papers in front of her, but she was having difficulty keeping her eyes off of Kara. Every few seconds, she glanced up to check for any signs of change in the Kryptonian’s condition, but each time she found none. She wasn’t certain how much time had passed, but Winn, J’onn, and Alex had been coming to check on them both in rounds. Alex brought her a cup of coffee during one of her visits, and Winn brought her his hoodie. She slipped it on even though heat was radiating from Kara’s bed. The softness was a comfort to her, and she was touched by the kindness of the gesture. 

During each visit, they filled her in with whatever bit of information they had gathered about the attack. So far, they had learned Adrian Warner was a false name, and the attacker was actually anti-alien extremist Ian Pruitt. Pruitt ran an unsettlingly successful website under the alias “God Killer” where he posted about his hatred for all aliens but especially Supergirl. There were even written out threats to kill the Kryptonian some day. 

The gun he had used was handmade from reinforced plastic with a single Kryptonite bullet which allowed him to walk through L-Corp.’s security without being detected. Right before the meeting, Pruitt had phoned CatCo. Media to tell them he was going to kill Lena Luthor, knowing Supergirl would come to her rescue. 

Between all the new information and her own emotions, Lena couldn’t read a word of the paperwork and she eventually set it aside completely. She moved her chair as close to Kara’s side as she could get it and carefully took the fallen hero’s hand in her own. She was shocked at how cold it felt, and she cradled it between her two hands in an effort to give some of her own warmth to her friend.

“K-Kara,” she said softly. “I know you probably can’t hear me, but just in case you can, I didn’t mean it. I didn’t mean it when I said Supergirl and I aren’t friends. I was upset, and I didn’t understand. I felt betrayed, and I let my emotions run away with me. Please, Kara. You are the most important person in the world to me. I can’t lose you. You promised you would never leave me, and I need you to keep that promise. I can’t do this alone. I need my best friend, I need my-my Kara. I love you, you know. I know I’ve never told you, but it’s true. I love you, and hell, I think I might even be in love with you. But we can figure all of that out later, I just need you to wake up.” She dissolved into sobs as she buried her face into Supergirl’s cape—no, Kara’s cape.

Later that night when Lena refused to leave Kara’s side, Alex brought her a soft black t-shirt and DEO issued cargo pants to sleep in. She used Winn’s hoody as a pillow, and at some point in the night, the elder Danvers sister covered her with a thick blanket as she fitfully slept in her chair. She had entertained the idea of curling up on the bed with Kara, but she didn’t want to interfere with her healing process. The cut across her chest was finally beginning to seal itself, and everyone took that to be a good sign. 

In the middle of the night, Lena stirred and opened her eyes in confusion at the sound of a voice. Her eyes adjusted to the soft glow of the sun lamp, and she could see Alex sitting next to Kara. She remained still as she realized Alex was singing.

“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray. You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away.” Her voice broke on the last line, and tears began to slip down her cheeks as she stroked Kara’s hair. 

“Come on, Sunshine. I know you took a big hit today, but you can come back from it. I know you can. You’re Kara Zor-El, for fuck’s sake. If anyone can survive a bullet to the chest, it’s you. Come back to me, little sister. We need you. Winn and J’onn and Lena, they all need you. I need you, Kara. I need my sister.”

Alex let herself break down and cry for a while before leaning forward and kissing Kara on the forehead. She climbed into the makeshift cot she had set up beside her sister’s bed and pulled a blanket over herself, but Lena could see she was still clutching Kara’s hand.


	2. Chapter 2

The first thing to register as Lena woke the next morning was the shooting pain in her neck. She moaned and carefully sat up in her chair, stretching out her sore muscles and cracking her joints. She opened her eyes and blinked as the DEO sunroom came into focus, but her heart sank as her eyes fell on the still unconscious hero beside her. Alex entered the room with two hot cups of coffee, and Lena gratefully accepted one.

“Did you get any sleep?” asked Alex as she took in the usually pristine CEO’s messy hair, wrinkled t-shirt, and make-up free face. She looked younger and more vulnerable than Alex had ever seen her.

“A little bit,” Lena answered. “Did you?” Alex had noticeable bags beneath her eyes, and she was still wearing her clothes from the day before.

“About as much as I always get when she’s like this,” the agent said with a shrug. 

They both turned and watched Kara for a moment in silence. The cut in her chest had almost completely faded, and her skin wasn’t nearly as pale. She looked much more like her usual self than she had the day before.

“All of her levels are almost back up to normal,” added Alex, as if reading Lena’s mind. 

“Is she usually unconscious for this long?” Lena asked, the worry creeping into her voice. Alex chewed her lip for a moment before answering.

“No, but she’s never taken a Kryptonite bullet to the heart before, either.”

“Any leads on where the Kryptonite came from?” Lena quickly changed the subject. She didn’t need a reminder of watching Alex pry the bullet out of Kara’s chest.

“It’s synthetic, similar to Maxwell Lord’s attempt, only Pruitt seems to have succeeded,” Alex explained. “He has a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, but there’s no way that would qualify him to pull off something like this. Either he’s a lot smarter than our research is showing or he’s had help.”

The two women turned at the sound of footsteps, and Lena blinked in surprise as an older woman came into the room. She had long blonde hair and hazel eyes that matched Alex’s perfectly, and she seemed oddly familiar. She came to Kara’s side and placed a chaste kiss to her temple.

“Oh, my sweet, Kara,” she murmured. “How long has she been unconscious?”

“Nineteen hours, but her levels are almost back to normal and the wound is nearly healed,” Alex answered, a bit stiffly.

“Do you have a sample of the Kryptonite for me to analyze?” she asked as she absently stroked Kara’s cheek.

“Yes, it’s in my lab.” The woman looked up and noticed Lena for the first time. She immediately offered her a gentle smile.

“I’m Eliza Danvers, Kara and Alex’s mom,” she introduced herself. 

That explains why Alex is so tense, Lena thought, but she simply did her best to smile in return.

“Lena Luthor, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Kara’s told me all about you,” she said, much to the Luthor’s surprise. “She talks about you constantly. I’m glad to finally put a face with all the wonderful things I’ve heard.”

“Well, Kara sees the good in everyone,” she replied with a nervous laugh, and she could feel her cheeks burning from the compliment.

“You’re sweet to stay with her,” added Eliza. “I’m glad to know she’s in good hands.” 

Lena watched as the woman stood and exited the room with Alex following after her, a pained expression on her face. Kara had told her a little bit about Eliza and Alex’s less than perfect relationship, but she still felt like she was missing something. It felt like Eliza was talking about more than just Lena spending the night at the DEO, but she couldn’t quite interpret the hidden meaning. 

She wracked her brain as she sipped her coffee, and her free hand found its way into Kara’s, her thumb tracing idle patterns across the Kryptonian’s knuckles. The cup fell to the floor and shattered as Lena felt a distinct squeeze around her fingers.

“Kara!” she exclaimed as the blonde’s eyelids began to flutter. Bright blue eyes slowly blinked open as the hero let out a soft moan. Lena sat beside her on the bed and began to gently stroke her face as hot tears formed in her eyes. 

“Kara, oh thank god! It’s ok, you’re ok, you’re at the DEO. You’re safe now.” Kara’s eyes widened as they finally came into focus.

“Lena!” she gasped and she tried to sit up before wincing in pain. 

“No, no, darling, lie down.” Lena eased her back down onto the bed with a soft but firm hand. 

“It’s all right, everything’s all right. You’re safe here.”

“Did I make it in time?” Kara asked as she carefully reached up to touch Lena’s face. The Luthor kissed her palm before resting her cheek against it, allowing the touch to ground them both.

“Yes, dear, you made it in time,” she chuckled as her tears began to fall more freely. “You saved my life, Supergirl.” At the name, pain filled Kara’s eyes.

“You told him I wasn’t going to come,” she said quietly, and Lena dropped her eyes in shame. 

Kara attempted to sit up again, and this time she managed though she had to hold her cape to her chest to keep herself somewhat covered. Lena’s bottom lip began to quiver fiercely as Kara gently took her chin in her hand and lifted it up so they were eye to eye again.

“Lena, I am so sorry I lied to you. I should have told you the truth from the very beginning, it was wrong of me to keep my identity from you. I was so terrified of losing you that I ended up hurting you. I’m so sorry, Lena. I understand if you can’t forgive me, and if you don’t want to be friends anymore, I’ll respect that, but right now, I need you to listen to me. I will always protect you. Even if you hate me and don’t want anything to do with me, I will still fight until my dying breath to keep you safe because I care about you, Lena. And I will never stop caring.”

Lena couldn’t stop herself any longer. She surged forward and captured Kara’s lips in a bruising kiss as she cupped her face with her hands. Her heart was pounding in her chest, but for the first time in ages, her mind felt completely clear. There was no fear or pain or regret, only Kara. Their kiss began to deepen as the hero sighed in relief and her free hand found its way to Lena’s back to press her closer, but the sound of footsteps caused the two to pull apart.

“Kara!” Alex exclaimed as she rushed into the room. She tackled the blonde in a hug as Lena stood to give them some space. Alex released her sister just enough to hold her firmly by the shoulders. “What the hell was that? Do you have any idea how close you came to dying? What, you couldn’t have just pushed Lena out of the way, you HAD to catch the Kryptonite bullet with your heart?”

“I didn’t know the bullet was going to be Kryptonite!” Kara defended herself. Alex softened with a sigh, and the two smiled as they let their foreheads rest together.

“Thanks for coming back to me,” Alex whispered.

“Always,” promised Kara.

They pulled apart as Eliza came over to hug and kiss Kara, and Lena stood in the corner and observed the little family. After both Alex and Eliza had taken Kara’s vitals, they all agreed it would be all right for the Super to go home. Lena quietly cleaned up her mess and gathered her things, and she was just stepping out of the room when she heard Kara ask Alex about her suit.

“YOU WHAT?!”


	3. Chapter 3

“I can’t believe you destroyed my suit,” Kara whined. She was dressed in blue jeans and a rather tight-fitting Midvale High t-shirt Eliza had brought her from home, and she was hugging her red boots to her chest protectively. The pout on her face was so undeniably Kara, Lena had to fight to suppress a chuckle as they all walked out of the DEO together.

“Hey, I was trying to save your life!” Alex argued. She and Eliza walked on either side of Kara, each with a protective hand on her back as the Super’s steps were still a bit unsteady.

“But what if the city needs Supergirl before Winn finishes the replacement?” continued Kara.

“You can hardly walk by yourself, do you honestly think you’ll be taking to the skies anytime soon?” asked Alex.

“National City will just have to do without Supergirl for a few days while you get your rest and your new suit,” added Eliza.

It was amazing how familiar yet completely bizarre the interaction was to Lena as she watched it unfold. She’d been racking her brain over the last twenty-four hours trying to piece together how she had possibly missed what was right in front of her. Of course Kara was Supergirl. It all made sense; how had she not seen it before? She had a suspicion of what had blinded her to the truth, but she batted the thought away. That was something else to process entirely, and right now, Kara needed her undivided attention.

Eliza took Kara back to her apartment in her van with Alex following behind on her motorcycle. Lena departed to go shower and rest, but she assured both Danvers sisters she would be by in the evening to check on Kara and finish the DEO paperwork. Kara had been sad to see her go, but her eyelids were beginning to droop just from the walk to the car so she wasn’t in a position to argue with the plan. Lena watched the Danvers entourage until they were out of sight before phoning her driver.

What was supposed to be a shower, a long nap, and a bit of catch-up on L-Corp. work turned into a rushed shower and a pit-stop by Noonan’s and the florist on the corner as Lena practically raced back to Kara. The injured Super had been out of her sight for exactly three hours, and she was already starting to feel anxious. She wasn’t sure how she was going to survive the worry when Kara went back to her regular Supergirl heroics. She shook off the thought with a shudder. She knocked softly on the apartment door, and Eliza opened it with a smile.

“Oh, Lena, these are lovely!” she exclaimed as she took the bouquet of flowers from her to put in a vase on the island. “Kara will love them.”

“How is she?” She felt silly for asking since it had been such a short while, but she needed to know.

“She’s fine, dear, just resting,” replied Eliza. “Honestly, she gets the best sleep whenever her powers are weakened because she isn’t kept up by her superhearing. I doubt an explosion would wake her right now.” 

Lena tentatively stepped farther into the apartment and peeked through the cracked door into Kara’s bedroom. She was face down on her bed with her arms and legs spread and a mess of golden curls fanned across her pillow. Her soft snores were like music to Lena’s ears, and she felt herself grinning as she stepped back into the living room. A second set of snores caused her to turn to see Alex face down on the couch, her DEO boots sitting in the floor where Eliza had pulled them off her feet, and one arm trailing off the side. Eliza tsked in a motherly way as she shook her head at Lena.

“Neither of my girls get enough rest, I’m afraid,” she said. She studied the young CEO who had taken a seat at the kitchen island. “From the looks of it, neither do you, dear.”

“Oh, well, no, I mean I-I get rest,” Lena tried to argue, but an arch of the matriarch’s eyebrow was enough to stop the lie. She sighed and nodded and Eliza chuckled as she handed her a cup of coffee.

“Why don’t you sit and talk with me? I want to know more about your work at L-Corp.” 

She got her own cup of coffee and sat beside Lena, the bouquet of flowers next to them and the Danvers sisters snoring behind them. Lena was stiff and awkward at first as she started the generic spill she often gave to sum up her multi-billion-dollar corporate enterprise, but as Eliza listened and asked questions she began to relax. Before she knew it, the two had been talking for several hours.

“I didn’t realize you were so familiar with bioengineering,” asked Lena in awe.

“Oh, yes, my girls come by their love of science honestly,” said Eliza proudly. “Their father and I were both scientists, and we tried to instill a love of learning into them. Of course, Kara had quite the advantage coming from a place of such scientific renown as Krypton. She understood concepts we could only dream of when she was just twelve years old.” 

Lena blinked in surprise and she found herself turning to look towards the bedroom where the Kryptonian was still sleeping.

“I never realized- I mean, obviously, I didn’t know that she- she just never mentioned,” Lena stammered as she tried to assimilate the science-minded, intergalactic superhero into her cheery, crossword puzzle-working, reporter friend. 

A half-sigh, half-moan from the couch caused them both to turn as Alex sat up and stretched. She popped her back, neck, and fingers before standing and stretching properly. She ran her fingers through her short, messy hair and followed the smell of coffee into the kitchen. She poured herself a cup and downed it black in several large gulps as Lena gaped and Eliza glared.

“You need a shower, Alexandra,” said Eliza as the agent finally turned to them.

“Fine, I’ll go take a shower,” she muttered in reply as she rolled her eyes. Eliza stood from the island and pulled her bag onto her shoulder.

“Actually, why don’t you and I go to your apartment? We can both freshen up there, and then, we’ll stop by the store on our way back. I’ll cook dinner tonight; both of you eat entirely too much take-out, it’s unhealthy.” There was a sense of finality in her voice, and she was moving towards the door as Alex glanced back and forth between her mother and her sister’s bedroom uneasily.

“What about Kara?” 

“Lena will be here if something happens,” Eliza answered simply, her hand already on the doorknob. “She’ll call us if she needs us.”

Lena offered the DEO agent a quick nod of reassurance, though she was just as baffled by Eliza’s insistence on leaving as Alex was. Alex relented with a sigh and pulled her boots on before handing Lena a business card with a cell phone number neatly printed in the center.

“Call me if anything happens,” she said sternly, her hazel eyes serious. “I mean it, Luthor.”

“I will, I promise,” Lena answered with a gulp and a nod. Alex studied her for a moment and cast a last glance towards Kara’s room before following after her mother with a sigh.

Once the two were gone, Lena relaxed a bit and made herself another cup of coffee. She tidied up the living room and washed the few dishes that were left in the sink. Then, she got a pan down from the cabinet and opened the bag from Noonan’s with the intention of putting the treats in the oven to restore their warmth. 

However, the second the bag opened and the slightest smell of sticky-bun was released into the air, Kara stirred awake. Lena looked up in surprise as the blonde sleepily padded into the kitchen, her blue eyes half-open as she sniffed like a bloodhound.

“Are those sticky-buns?” she asked as she immediately began digging into the bag.

“You may not have your superhearing, but your sense of smell is certainly intact,” Lena laughed as Kara shoved an entire bun into her mouth.

“Hey, I was unconscious for an entire day, I have a lot of eating to catch up on,” the Kryptonian argued between her third and fourth pastry. When she’d successfully eaten all six, she looked beyond the kitchen for the first time.

“Where are Eliza and Alex?” she asked.

“They went to Alex’s apartment to freshen up and get a few things,” Lena explained. “They’ll be back soon, though, and your- I mean, Eliza said she would cook dinner tonight.” 

Kara still seemed a little confused, but she didn’t press further. As silence fell, it occurred to both of them they were alone for the first time since their kiss. Kara cleared her throat and ran a hand through her messy curls as Lena nervously fiddled with a strand of her hair.

“I’m really sorry,” they both burst out at the same time.

“Wait, why are you sorry?” They asked, again in unison.

“Because I lied to you,” said Kara.

“Kara, you don’t have to keep apologizing for that,” Lena assured her. “I mean, yes, I would have liked it if you had been honest with me from the beginning, but I understand why you had to keep your true identity a secret. I’m a Luthor, and it would have been too dangerous to tell me.” Kara immediately reached out and took Lena’s hands as the dark haired woman’s gaze fell to the counter.

“Lena, I swear to you it was not because you’re a Luthor. I trusted you enough to tell you, but I was afraid knowing the truth would put you in danger even more than you already are. I mean, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but people try to hurt you a lot and I only wanted to keep you safe.” Kara sighed in frustration and turned away. “That plan obviously didn’t work, though. Even without knowing my true identity, Supergirl still put you in danger.”

Lena watched as Kara sank onto the couch, her shoulders sagging and her head falling into her hands. In that moment, Lena didn’t see a confident, godlike superhero or an optimistic, ace reporter. She saw the girl she loved falling beneath the weight of the world on her shoulders, and it made her heart ache.

“Supergirl didn’t put me in danger, Kara,” she said as she sat down beside her. “Supergirl saved me. Just like she’s saved me countless times before. And Kara Danvers, well, she’s saved me in a million ways, too. Since the day I met you, you have gone above and beyond to protect me, encourage me, and include me in ways I’ve never experienced before. I didn’t think anyone could ever care about me because of my last name, but you proved me wrong. You know, it actually makes sense that you’re an alien because I don’t think any human could be as incredible as you.”

A bit of the sparkle had returned to Kara’s blue eyes as she lifted her head to look at Lena. She could tell the Super still felt guilty, but she promised herself she would chip away at it every day for as long as it took for Kara to forgive herself. They stared at each other for a moment and reveled in the fact that they were both alive despite the world’s best efforts.

“Hey, you never told me what you were sorry for?” said Kara, suddenly.

“Oh,” Lena felt her cheeks darkening as she shifted on the couch. “for kissing you at the DEO.”  
“Why would you be sorry for that?” she asked as she cocked her head to the side in confusion. 

Her hair was still messy from her nap and her Midvale t-shirt was barely meeting the top of her jeans, and she looked painfully adorable.

“I-it wasn’t appropriate,” Lena stammered. “You had just woken up from a coma, and, and you were vulnerable, and I shouldn’t have taken advantage of the situation like that. I should have talked to you about it first, you know, asked for consent, made sure it was something you wanted, and-,”

Kara leaned forward and captured Lena’s still moving lips in a kiss. The Luthor blinked in surprise for a moment before melting into the touch with a sigh. It was sweet and chaste, but goddamn it, if it didn’t still take her breath away. As Kara pulled back, she tucked a loose strand of hair behind Lena’s ear, a playful smirk tugging at her lips.

“In case that wasn’t clear enough, you officially have my consent to kiss me anytime.” 

With that, Lena cradled the blonde’s face in her hands and kissed her fiercely because honestly, how could she resist? When she mustered the courage, her tongue swiped over Kara’s lips in a silent question, which the blonde eagerly answered with a moan of approval. Lena tasted like spearmint and coffee, and Kara’s kiss was further sweetened by the lingering taste of sticky-bun. The Super’s hands found their way onto Lena’s hips as the Luthor tangled her fingers into messy blonde curls. Kara’s hands were just beginning to wander when the front door opened.

The two leapt apart with lightning speed, and Lena nearly tumbled off the couch in the process. Alex froze in the doorway and looked back and forth between them in confusion, but Eliza simply pushed passed her to begin unpacking the groceries with a smug look on her face. 

Both Lena and Kara rushed into the kitchen to help, stammering over one another as their cheeks burned in embarrassment. Alex continued to eye them suspiciously, but thankfully, she didn’t voice any of her questions aloud. Soon, Kara and Lena recovered, and they all settled into a rhythm as Eliza gave them each a task.

“Cooking is so much harder without superpowers,” Kara whined as she mixed the bowl of ingredients her adopted mother had handed her. “My arms are getting tired.”

“Oh, suck it up, you have the easiest job,” grumbled Alex as she peeled potatoes rather haphazardly. 

Eliza reached over and placed her hands on top of her daughter’s to show her for the third time how to peel evenly. Alex rolled her eyes at the instruction, but she made more of an effort not to mutilate the vegetables. Lena looked up from where she was meticulously cutting carrots as a soft hand came to rest on her shoulder.

“Very good, Lena!” Eliza praised. “You’re a natural!”  


“Oh, I-I’m not- I mean, it’s nothing really,” Lena stammered, a blush covering her cheeks at the praise. 

Kara was covered in flour and beaming at her, and she couldn’t stop her own smile as they continued to work. Alex and Lena added their ingredients to the broth Eliza had made as Kara finished with the cake mix. She carefully poured it into a baking pan and set it on the counter.

“Whatcha’ doing over there?” Alex asked as Kara stared intently at the unbaked cake.

“Ugh, I keep forgetting I don’t have my powers!” she groaned. “This is going to take forever if we have to use the oven!” Lena couldn’t stop the laughter that escaped as Eliza consoled her pouting adult daughter.

“That will give you plenty of time to take a shower, then,” she said as she pushed her towards the bathroom.

Since Kara was officially relieved of cooking duty, Alex took it upon herself to bail as well. She grabbed a beer from the fridge and retrieved her computer from her bag before settling onto the couch. Lena continued to help Eliza in the kitchen, and she listened intently to the older woman’s gentle instruction. 

In the Luthor household, there was an entire staff who took care of everything from the cooking to the cleaning to supervising the children’s studies. The kitchen was strictly off limits to Lex and Lena, and it wasn’t until she was living on her own that Lena had tried her hand at cooking. There had been several disasters, but overall, she was moderately successful for an amateur. She’d even enjoyed it, but she found she rarely had time to cook for herself since taking over L-Corp. She promised herself that day she’d start cooking more often.

Kara emerged from the bathroom just as Lena was beginning to set the table. Her hair was still wet from her shower and her face was completely make-up free. She was wearing one of Alex’s old Stanford sweatshirts and running shorts that showed off her incredibly sculpted legs, and the casual look made Lena weak in the knees.

“I can’t even use superspeed to dry my hair,” pouted Kara.

“Maybe that’ll teach you not to get shot with Kryptonite,” said Alex as she got another beer. Kara answered by sticking her tongue out at her older sister who gladly returned the favor. Lena could only giggle as Eliza rolled her eyes and corralled them all to the table.

“Wait, we aren’t eating in the living room?” asked Alex in surprise.

“No, we are eating at the table like a family,” answered Eliza as she began handing them bowls of soup and plates of salad.

“But Homeland comes on tonight!” Kara started to argue, but a stern look from their mother silenced them both.  
Lena felt awkward at first as she sat next to Kara at the table. Eliza’s words had struck with her, and she felt like she was intruding on something special, something meant only for the Danvers family. But then Alex was handing her a beer and Eliza was passing her the bread and Kara was telling a story about a time when she and Alex had forgotten to do their chores so Kara had used her superspeed to do them but had done everything backwards, and Lena found she felt like she was exactly where she was supposed to be. 

They ate soup until they were too full to move, and then ate cake, anyway. It was the best meal Lena had had in ages, and the Danvers women had kept her in stitches the entire time. Kara would tell a story while Alex filled in the details she missed or remembered wrong, and then, Eliza would reveal she had known about whatever secret they thought they’d kept hidden all along. (“Of course, I knew you were at the movies, do you honestly think I would have gone to work if I believed my girls were sick with a virus strong enough to affect Kryptonians?”) It was almost nine o’clock by the time they’d finally finished and cleaned up the kitchen.

“I’ll run Mom back to my place, and then, I’ll come back to stay with you, Kar,” said Alex as she grabbed her jacket and her keys.

“Oh, y-you don’t have to stay with me!” Kara answered quickly. “Really, I’ll be fine here by myself. I promise. I’ll call, you know, if I need anything, but I feel fine- great, even!” 

Lena could feel herself growing red as the blonde continued to stammer, and she considered hitting her with something to shut her up. Thankfully, Eliza came to the rescue.

“Just make sure you get your rest tonight, dear,” she said as she wrapped her younger daughter into a hug. She kissed the blonde on the crown of the head before turning and taking Lena into a hug as well. “You get some rest too, young lady,” she instructed as she placed a kiss on her forehead. 

Lena could have cried at the gesture, but she forced herself to remain composed as she quickly nodded. Eliza got her things and headed out the door as Alex lingered.

“Fine, but tomorrow, you two have some serious explaining to do,” she said as she motioned between Kara and Lena with her hand. They both gulped but nodded, and the agent pulled the door closed behind herself. Once they were alone, the two collapsed onto the couch with sighs of relief. 

“I really like your- I mean, Eliza,” said Lena. “She’s wonderful.”

“Yeah, she’s great,” replied Kara with a smile. “I’m really glad you finally got to meet her.” 

They sat in comfortable silence and looked at one another for a moment. Kara was still smiling, and her eyes seemed especially blue, her hair having finally dried in unruly waves. Lena couldn’t resist any longer, and she leaned forward and captured her lips in a kiss. The Super gladly reciprocated, and she pulled Lena into her lap with her strong arms. Their kisses quickly grew more urgent, and a whimper slipped passed the Luthor’s lips as she straddled Kara’s lap and tangled her fingers into her messy hair. A fire was beginning to burn inside of her and everything in her was begging for more, but she forced herself to pull back.

“Kara,” she said breathlessly. “I-I think we should talk about this.” Kara immediately stopped, her own cheeks flushed and her breathing ragged.

“What’s wrong?” she asked. She reached up and tucked the strand of hair that had slipped from Lena’s bun behind her ear, and she could see the worry in her green eyes.

“I just, I want to make sure we’re on the same page,” Lena explained. “While I’m quite certain I could kiss you forever, I want more than that.” Kara’s eyes widened, and Lena quickly backtracked. “Not like that! I mean, well, yes, I do want that, but that’s not what I was talking about, and only if you want that, too. Oh, God, I’m making a mess of this.”

Lena buried her face in her hands in frustration. The last two days had been nothing short of an emotional rollercoaster; her life had been completely turned upside down, and she’d hardly slept a wink through it all. She was exhausted, and the only two things her brain were capable of focusing on clearly were Kara and sleep. At the sound of giggling, Lena lifted her head. Kara was beaming at her, and there was a glimmer of mischief in her eyes.

“Ask me what I want.”

“What?”

“Ask me,” said Kara, again. “Ask me what I want.”

“What do you want?” Lena asked, tentatively. Kara reached up and laced their fingers together as she spoke, her crooked grin still firmly in place.

“I want to cook you breakfast and make your coffee with that fancy hazelnut creamer you like so much. I want to go out to dinner with you and to the movies the way we always have, but when we’re walking together, I want to hold your hand. And when we watch Dancing with the Stars, I want to cuddle up with you on this couch, and when it’s over, I want you stay the night so I can wake up next to you. I want to kiss you every minute of every day, but I know that’s not realistic—even for a superhero—so I’ll settle for as often as I can manage. And I do want, you know, more, if you want that. I don’t know what doing all of those things would make us exactly, but that’s what I want. I want you, Lena. I want you in my life in every possible way.”

“Girlfriends,” said Lena after a moment as she swallowed the lump forming in her throat. “I-I think that would make us girlfriends.” Kara thought about the word for a moment before nodding.

“Then, I want you to be my girlfriend.” A few tears finally slipped from Lena’s eyes as she laughed in relief.

“I would like that,” she admitted.  
Since her friendship with Kara had blossomed, Lena had occasionally entertained the idea of them being something more. She’d wondered what it would be like to kiss her soft, pink lips and to hold her hand as they walked down the street. During their movie nights and the occasional sleep-over, she’d had to fight the urge to cuddle up with blonde and lay her head on her chest. She’d always stopped herself, and she’d always tried to push those thoughts away because Kara was her best friend. She didn’t want to lose her, and quite frankly, she didn’t feel deserving of her, anyway. But now, in spite of everything, Kara was telling her with sincerity shining in her blue eyes that she wanted all of those things, too. Lena felt like she might burst from happiness. The two kissed again, but this time it was cut short by Kara’s yawn. 

“Will you stay?” she asked, as Lena climbed to her feet, their hands still intertwined.

“Of course, darling.”

They turned off the lights and locked the door before wandering into Kara’s bedroom. Lena sat down on the bed to remove her shoes as Kara began digging through her chest of drawers in search of an extra pair of pajamas. By the time she’d dug out her avocado sleep shorts and a big t-shirt, Lena had collapsed against the pillow and was snoring softly. Kara could only smile as she climbed into bed beside her and pulled the blanket up over them both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure if I'm going to continue this story. This is all I have written for it so far. Thanks for all the feedback!

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think!  
XOXO


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